The trickle of enquiries I receive from students just starting their GCSE Graphics project on pop-ups became a flood of enquiries! I know many of you are just starting on this project and have to find information on how to create pop-ups. You search the web for "pop-up books" or "pop-ups", find my web site and send me an e-mail or fill in our enquiry form. My own son did his GCSE Graphics pop-ups project in 2001 and so I know you all need information and you need it fast (see below for Joe's GCSE and A level results and further progress!!). I'm very flattered that you ask me for information, but dealing with all your e-mail enquiries is very time-consuming, so I've decided to put the information up here on the web site for you.
I don't keep a stock of information I can send out to students. All the information I have is listed below. It's based on the most frequently asked questions students send to me.
Recommended books on how to create pop-ups
I wish I'd had these when I was first asked to make pop-ups - You can order them from Amazon.
The Elements of Pop-up
David A Carter & James Diaz
"The definitive book on how to make pop-ups." This fantastic book includes full explanations, instructions and actual 3-d working examples from the most simple to the most complicated pop-ups.
Our comment: "Couldn't be bettered. If you need to know how to create pop-ups, this book is what you need. Worth every penny."
Pop-up! A Manual of Paper Mechanisms
Duncan Birmingham
"A working guide to the intriguing mechanisms that leap up from pop-up books or cards." Includes how-to diagrams, instructions etc..
Our comment: "A very helpful book and a little cheaper than the one shown to above."
How did I learn to make pop-up books?
Well, the first time I was asked to design a pop-up book, I bought some pop-up books and had a really good look at how they were put together. I took them apart and studied their construction in great detail. I still think that's probably the best way to learn how to make pop-ups, together with a lot of experimentation. There is a great deal to learn about pop-ups. In fact, I have only been asked to create fairly simple pop-ups myself and don't yet have the skills to create pop-ups with moving parts.That's the really clever stuff! I have worked on moving-parts pop-ups, but in those cases I worked with a specialist paper engineer who really knows his stuff.
Can I send you some information on how to create pop-up books?
The short answer is: Sorry, but no. I'm just a freelance illustrator; I don't keep a stock of information I can send out. I would strongly recommend that you buy one or both of the books listed above - I have found them absolutely invaluable! I have found some useful web sites about pop-ups that might help you. Just select the links below to go to the web sites. Each one will open in a new browser window so that this page will stay open and you can return to try the next link.
OK, so what info can I provide?
If you have a look at some simple pop-up books, you will be able to see how they are constructed. It is very important to get the measurements exactly right, otherwise it won't work properly. Look at a pop-up from the side so that you can see it in cross-section and you will notice that the pop-up forms a square or rectangle. The measurement from the fold back to the page *usually* must be the same on either side of the centre of the book (this is for simple pop-ups - for more complicated pop-ups you really should order the book listed first above and you will find it explains everything).
Also, bear in mind that areas which are horizontal when popped up will be subject to foreshortening and you therefore have to elongate them in the drawing stage to get them to look right when popped up (e.g. tops of tables, beds etc.).
A pop-up need not be complicated to create a big impact. Sometimes a very simple, bold design can make a great and impressive pop-up.
I wish you the best of luck with your GCSE project and I hope you enjoy making pop-ups – they're fun!
Websites about how to make pop-ups
(in no particular order)
Note: if you find that any of the links below are dead, or you know of any other useful sites not listed here, please use our enquiry form to let us know. Thank you.
Robert Sabuda: the official web site of paper engineer Robert Sabuda
Information about Robert and his amazing books, plus everything from interviews with authors to simple pop-up projects you can make.
Suite 101 Book Arts
All sorts of interesting stuff about how books (including pop-up books) are made
Joan Irvine's how to make a pop-up
How to make a simple 'mouth pop-up'
ThinkQuest: Step-by-step guide to a single pop-up
Ann Montanaro: A concise history of pop-ups
Cyberbee's pop-up books
Links to pop-up sites – really useful
The pop-up lady
The web site of Ellen G.K. Rubin – the 'Pop Up Lady' – includes a little on the history of pop-ups.
Origamic Architecture
"Origamic Architecture (also known as origami architecture) is a papercraft form which combines the careful folding of origami, the detailed cutting of scherenschnitte, and the precise paper engineering of pop-ups. Unlike traditional pop-ups, these paper models are usually cut and folded from one sheet of paper."
Popupbooks.net
Lots of info., a page devoted to GCSE Graphics information, and links to other useful sites (including our own, we are flattered to note).
Pop-up Books in the UK
An enthusiast and collector's site with a number of useful links to other sites, including paper engineers, the history of pop-ups, origamic architecture, and more...
BBC Bitesize
A number of different graphics topics are covered here.
Book Production Information
Hawcock Books
A publisher's website that provides some useful info about book production.
Mark Hiner - paper engineer
This very useful site includes a section on how books are produced. Click on the link to Producing a Book to see it.
(Many thanks to Susie Arnott for the 3 links above.)
Please note:
... we can't supply any more information about making pop-up books. I repeat – all the information we have is on this page.
In particular, please don't ask John for any of the following:
- Templates to help you create your pop-ups
All the work John produces is original. He does not use templates. Even if he did, you could not have permission to use them because his publisher normally owns the copyright to all John's work. - Catalogues or 'samples'
The author/illustrator doesn't have these. John Patience is not a publishing company - he's just one man, working as a freelancer on his own, at a drawing board with pencils, paint and paper, in a studio in our home. You will have to contact book publishers for catalogues or samples. - Information about Printing, Binding, Marketing, Distribution etc.
Once John has completed the text and illustrations for a book, it is sent off to the publisher and they deal with everything after that. In other words, John doesn't know anything about the printing, binding, packaging, marketing, distribution or anything that happens after the text and artwork have left here. Please see the links above for information about the book production process.
